To Learn To Fall (Sequel to the Other Side)

Chapter Five

Panting to catch my breath, I held the sword level to the creature's neck while the skirmish raged around me. My gloved fingers tightened around the steel handle; my heart pounded in my chest; my saliva tasted of blood.

I stared at the creature. Wolf-like in appearance and shape, the Tenebrie was absent of eyes. Its monstrous jaw occupied a huge portion of its face with two great fangs protruding from its mouth amidst a row of smaller but just as deadly canines. Its usual black fur was torn and spotted with blood. 

The Tenebrie's head was pointed up at me, its tongue lolling out of its mouth.

Without letting my grip on the sword waver, I lifted my head to look at the others, watching the way they fought and killed the Tenebrie without even thinking twice. I swallowed, fearing how easy it came to them.

The creature let out a low growl, reminding me of its presence. But was it a growl or was it a whimper?

It bared its teeth at me, but when I usually would have taken it as a sign of aggression, of primal hatred, of murderous intentions, all I saw was the creature as it really was. Hurt. Alone. Threatened.

Terrified for its life.

I moved the tip of my sword away from its throat so that the steel wasn't touching the creature's bare skin.

Blood was now gushing from the cuts I had left in the creature, and the logical part of me insisted that if I didn't kill it now and show it this act of mercy, it would suffer later and die slower and much more painfully. But there was a part of me that couldn't bring myself to do it, couldn't force myself to kill the Tenebrie, because although it was a creature—a monster—it didn't deserve to live any less than we did.

I saw myself in the poor thing. How long would it be before I was the monster being hunted down and cornered against a wall, having to choose between fighting for survival or caving into death? How long before I would be in its place?

Its. As if they aren't a living, breathing, thinking animal with a complex mind. They were a Peritum at one point, weren't they? Why do they deserve to be called and labeled as a beast?

I heard yelling behind me, but I don't think anyone was paying me any mind. A quick glance over my shoulder only confirmed that; Lafayette was shouting advice to Angelica, who was up against a much larger, Tenebrie while he struggled against his own opponent.

I should be helping them, I thought, guilt pulling at my mind. But that guilt only intensified when I glanced back at the quivering creature in front of me.

"I'm sorry," I breathed to them, heart pounding in my chest. I closed my eyes and pressed the sword into the creature's neck lightly.

A roar of pain sounded through the battlefield, leaving chills running down my spine. I tried to hum to ease my mind, but the song was a desperate chaotic mess that had no rhythm or beat.

There truly was no antidote for the terror building up inside.

All I could picture was the Tenebrie laying dead at my feet, mouth ajar with the tongue lolling out. Blood staining the grass and their beautiful black fur. And then I saw a flash of myself in that same position, as a dangerous beast that everyone only sees a horrid monster incapable of feelings or love.

I couldn't bring myself to kill them, no matter how hard I tried.

I let the sword clatter to the ground.

The creature's whimpering stopped as I moved away from them, lowering my wings in a sign of submission. I only hoped that they would take it that way.